Internet statistics: SA vs the world

A recent study by World Wide Worx revealed that Internetpenetration in SA is approaching 20%, with the country's Internet user base growing a substantial 25%, from 6.8 million in 2010 to 8.5 million at the end of 2011.

But how do SA's Internet statistics compare to the rest of Africa, and the world at large?
According to statistics tabled by Internet World Stats (IWS), as at 31 December 2011:

* Globally there were approximately 2.3 billion Internet users, representing a 32.7% penetration rate.

* A total of 6.2% of the world's Internet users were in Africa, a penetration rate of 13.5%.

* Africa had 139.9 million Internet users, with SA at the time representing 4.3% of that number, with 6.8 million Internet users. This is 13.9% of the South African population, estimated at 49 million. 

* According to research by the UN's agency for information and communication technologies, IWS and World Wide Worx, over a 10-year period in SA: Internet users grew 309% from 2.75 million at the end of 2001, to 8.5 million at the end of last year. 

* Globally, over a 10-year period, Internet users grew over 440% from 513 million at the end of 2001, to IWS's latest figure of 2.28 billion. 

* The African continent has seen Internet users growing by 3 000% since the year 2000, from 4.5 million to 139.9 million at the end of last year.

The latest global breakdown of Internet users is as follows:

Asia 44.8%
Europe 22.1%
North America 12%
Latin America/Caribbean 10.4%
Africa 6.2%
Middle East 3.4%
Oceania/Australia 1.1%
Counting the cost

In terms of broadband pricing in SA, a report in April this year by independent telecoms analysis firm Ovum revealed South African entry-level DSL services were priced the highest when compared to its African counterparts, with an annual tariff of $1 443 and an affordability rating of four. This is twice as high as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Ovum's high-end DSL comparison revealed, once again, that SA scored low in terms of affordability rating, with high-end Telkom ADSL just over half the average price. SA, Egypt and Kenya scored an equally low rating of one for affordability.

However, SA scored well in the category of HSPA entry-level pricing, with an annual cost of $41 and an affordability ratio of 141, the lowest of the sample (including UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kenya). Ovum says this is due to the “sachet pricing” of low data consumption packages – typically 100MB.

On the high-end HSPA side, SA's affordability ratio slipped to eight, with an annual cost of $704 – almost double the average of $318, but lower than the average affordability ratio of 15.

Ovum says South African operators have entered into a price war in the mobile broadband and data space. This, says the firm, means an end to the high-end market skimming, erosion of the DSL opportunity for Telkom, and a flood of new customers, which will affect service quality. 

Article courtesy of It Web, by Bonnie Tubbs. www.itweb.co.za